Prefabricated levee apparatus and system

ABSTRACT

A levee apparatus and system for impeding and controlling the flow of fluids, primarily the flow of water as experienced in a flood or storm surge consisting of a light weight concrete structure with reinforcing steel rebar depending on the application. It is constructed from prefabricated sections with the tongue and groove ends designed to fit together which, when used in conjunction with a rubber gasket, will produce a water tight seal. The structure would be hollow with an opening along the unprotected face to provide a location for the surge water to enter. The structure would have flap-gates on the protected side and on the unprotected side. This would allow flood waters from the protected side to push open the flap-gate and exit the protected side based on the pressure equalization of the flood waters. Once inside the structure any water would then drain from the structure through the flap-gate on the unprotected side when the surge water diminishes. The structure could be placed simply on top of the existing soils or anchored in place to prevent potential changes in alignment. Two main modifications to this design include utilization of a rubberized base which would allow the top portion of the structure to rise into position, and the adjustment of the flap-gate position to change the use of the structure from solely a flood protection system to a retention control system.

This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional application Ser.No. 60/898,853 (“the '853 application”) filed Feb. 1, 2007. The '853application is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

In general, the present invention relates to a levee apparatus andsystem for impeding and controlling the flow of fluids, primarily theflow of water as experienced in a flood or storm surge.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The currently available levee designs are limited. The main designs inuse are earthen levees or piling supported panels. Earthen leveesrequire large quantities of specific material types for which the sourcecan be difficult to find near the areas of construction, thus insignificantly increasing costs of the structure. These earthen leveesalso require large land acquisitions and can take multiple years forconstruction. Maintenance will also be required for the structure tocontinue providing consistent levels of protection. This maintenance isdue to the consolidating nature of earthen materials both in thestructure and surrounding the structure.

A piling supported design reduces the footprint of a levee, however thecosts for construction increase due to the large equipment required forinstallation. The underlying soils can also affect the design by notproviding enough friction to offset the uplifting forces. The frictionneeded increases pile lengths translating into additional constructionand installation costs. A pile supported design needs protection at thebase of the structure to minimize the potential scour during waveevents. This type of structure can also fail when repeatedly hit bystrong waves during storm events. The inadequacies of piling supporteddesign have been made evident during recent catastrophic flooding in theSouthern United States following severe hurricanes.

Both of these types of design limit the amount of water that can beremoved from the protected side. They must be used in conjunction withmechanical pumps or have open areas of reduced protection to allow waterfrom the protected side to pass to the unprotected side. The use ofpumps becomes critical during storms as there must be personnelavailable to service the pumps during their pumping cycles and areas ofdiminished protection, reducing safety levels for surrounding property.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present inventive levee apparatus and system allows for the productto be manufactured at a location offsite and then transported to theconstruction site using traditional shipping methods. This process isfaster and doesn't require the complications of specialized equipment.This design also addresses the need for water to be removed from theprotected side without mechanical pumps, electricity, or personnel. Itaddresses the need for protection in areas of poor quality soils andincorporates the water that would surge from the unprotected side byproviding a temporary storage area for the water during critical stormtimes.

An object of the invention is to provide a levee apparatus and systemcomprising a light weight concrete structure that can be reinforced withsteel rebar depending on the application, which structure can beprefabricated in sections off-site and loaded on to trucks with minimalequipment. Placement of the structure can be achieved with the use ofstandard construction cranes depending of the level of flood or stormprotection needed.

It is a further object of the invention that the prefabricated sectionscomprising the lightweight concrete structure be provided withinterlocking tongue and groove ends designed to fit together which, whenused in conjunction with a gasket of resilient material such as rubberor other elastomer, will produce a water tight seal between theprefabricated sections. The end joints could be made more water tightthrough the use of additional prefabricated panels that would attach tothe structure on site.

It is a further object of the invention that the lightweight concretestructure would be hollow with a continuous opening along theunprotected face to provide a location for the flood or storm surgewater to enter. As this water enters the lightweight concrete structure,the stability of the structure would increase due to the physicalproperties of water. The opening would follow the full length of thestructure and would have grating to prevent animals, debris, or peoplefrom entering the structure. This grating could be a continuation of thereinforcement within the concrete or could be simple grates that arereadily-accessible from current markets

It is a further object of the invention that the lightweight concretestructure would be provided with an anchoring system suitable to theapplication of the structure. The lightweight concrete structure couldbe placed simply on top of the existing soils or anchored in place toprevent potential changes in alignment. There are many anchoring systemson the market today, including but not limited to piles or anchorfoundations that could be used with the structure. Also, the lightweightconcrete structure can utilize a variety of configurations includingthrough the center of inertia in the x or y planes, at both ends of thestructure through the center, or on the protected and unprotected sides.

It is further intended that the lightweight concrete structure wouldhave flap-gates on the protected side, opening to the inside of thestructure, and flap gates on the unprotected side, opening to theoutside of the structure. This would allow flood waters from theprotected side to push open the flap-gate and exit the protected sidebased on the pressure equalization of the flood waters. Once inside thelightweight concrete structure any water would then drain from thestructure through the flap-gate on the unprotected side when the floodor surge water diminishes.

An alternative embodiment of the invention includes utilization of arubberized base which would allow the top portion of the lightweightconcrete structure to rise into position providing additional levels ofprotection without affecting the aesthetics of the location orincreasing the footprint of the structure. This design would also allowthe lightweight concrete structure to provide a larger reservoir forsurge waters.

A further embodiment would be alternative placement of the protectedside flap gate. The flap-gate position can change the use of thelightweight concrete structure from solely a flood protection system toa retention control system. The retention control applications could beuse for dredging material during marsh creation projects. Thelightweight nature of the structure would be useful in areas which thesoils cannot provide the same amount of stability for the retentionlevees as it can for the placement of the dredge material.

The physical design of the lightweight concrete structure can be alteredto provide maximum scour protection from the unprotected side or tominimize the footprint. When compared to the existing systems, thislightweight concrete structure provides both function and stabilitywithout additional costs or land acquisition. It is a structure withunmatched versatility.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a prefabricated section of thelightweight concrete structure.

FIG. 2 is a cross section of the lightweight concrete structure.

FIG. 3 is a cross section of the tongue and groove ends of connectedprefabricated sections.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a prefabricated section 1 of theinventive lightweight concrete structure. The prefabricated section 1has a protected surface 2 and an unprotected surface 3. This embodimentalso depicts an optional horizontal surface 23. Also shown is a top side5 and a bottom side 6. It is understood that the unprotected surface 3is on the side 10 of the prefabricated section 1 which would receive orface flood or storm surge waters, and the protected surface 2 is on theside 12 of the prefabricated section 1 meant to be protected from floodor storm surge waters. It is also understood that the prefabricatedsection 1 is intended to be used with a multiplicity of prefabricatedsections 1 connected end to end such that the left end 15 of a section 1would connect to the right end 16 of an adjacent section 1 in continuousfashion for the length of the desired land to be protected from flood orstorm surge waters.

Also depicted in FIG. 1 is a continuous opening 4 which would allowflood or storm surge waters to enter the inside 11 of each section 1 ofthe lightweight concrete structure. This continuous opening 4 isequipped with grating 7 to prevent the entry of debris or other unwantedobjects. The grating 7 could also be integral to the reinforcement ofeach section 1.

In addition, FIG. 1 also depicts protected side flap gates 8 with hinges22 and unprotected side flap gates 9 with hinges 21. As can be seen, theprotected side flap gates 8 would only allow water to flow from theprotected side 12 into the inside 11 of section 1, and the unprotectedside flap gates 9 would only allow water to flow out from the inside 11of section 1 to the unprotected side 10.

When flood or storm surge waters rise on the unprotected side 10 of theprefabricated sections 1 of the inventive lightweight concrete structurecomprising a multiplicity of sections 1 connected end to end, the waterswill flow through the continuous opening 4 into the inside 11 of eachsection 1 of the inventive lightweight concrete structure. When theflood or storm surge waters recede, the water in the inside 11 of eachsection 1 of the inventive lightweight concrete structure will flow outto the unprotected side 10. Any water which may have overtopped thestructure onto the protected side 12 as well as accumulated rain watercan flow into the lightweight concrete structure through the protectedside flap gates 8.

FIG. 2 is a typical cross section of a prefabricated section 1 of theinventive lightweight concrete structure in place with the bottom side 6on a soil mixing area 20. Also shown are typical anchor ties 13 andanchors 14 which may be used to assist in holding the sections 1 inplace. Also depicted is a cutoff wall 24. It is not intended that theinvention be limited to the anchoring arrangement shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 3 is a typical cross section of the connection betweenprefabricated sections 1 and shows a tongue 18 on the left end 15 with amatching groove 19 on the right end 16 and recessed gaskets 17 to assistin sealing the connection between sections 1. It is not intended thatthe invention be limited to this type of sealing arrangement and othertypes of sealing between sections 1 would be suitable. Likewise thesections 1 may be held together with mechanical straps 25 rigidlyaffixed to the lightweight concrete structure.

The lightweight concrete structure could be placed simply on top of theexisting soils or anchored in place to prevent potential changes inalignment. Alternative embodiments of this invention would includeutilization of a rubberized base which would allow the top portion ofthe structure to rise into position, and the adjustment of the flap-gateposition to change the use of the structure from solely a floodprotection system to a retention control system.

1. A levee apparatus for impeding and controlling the flow of water asexperienced in a flood or storm surge, comprising a plurality ofadjacent prefabricated hollow sections each with a right end and a leftend, each of said sections placed against an adjacent section with theright end of each of said sections sealed with the left end of theadjacent section to form a continuous watertight hollow structure andsystem for impeding and controlling the flow of water from anunprotected side to a protected side, each of said sections having aprotected surface adjacent to the protected side, an unprotected surfaceadjacent to the unprotected side, a top side, a bottom side, acontinuous grated opening above the horizontal surface on theunprotected surface to allow water from the unprotected side to enterthe continuous hollow structure formed by said sections.
 2. The leveeapparatus of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of protected sideflap-gates on the protected surface of each of said section to allowwater flow from the protected side to the continuous hollow section, anda plurality of unprotected side flap-gates on the unprotected surface toallow water flow from the continuous hollow section to the unprotectedside.
 3. The levee apparatus of claim 1 wherein the right end and leftend of each sections further comprise either a tongue or grooveconfiguration for engagement with the respective tongue or grooveconfiguration on the right end or left end of the adjacent section andsaid tongue or groove configuration further comprise a resilient gasketto create a watertight seal between adjacent sections.
 4. The leveeapparatus of claim 2 wherein the right end and left end of each sectionsfurther comprise either a tongue or groove configuration for engagementwith the respective tongue or groove configuration on the right end orleft end of the adjacent section and said tongue or groove configurationfurther comprise a resilient gasket to create a watertight seal betweenadjacent sections.
 5. The levee apparatus of claim 1 further comprisingan anchoring system to prevent movement of the sections.
 6. The leveeapparatus of claim 2 further comprising an anchoring system to preventmovement of the sections.
 7. The levee apparatus of claim 3 furthercomprising an anchoring system to prevent movement of the sections. 8.The levee apparatus of claim 4 further comprising an anchoring system toprevent movement of the sections.
 9. The levee apparatus of claim 1wherein the bottom side further comprises a rubberized base.
 10. Thelevee apparatus of claim 2 wherein the bottom side further comprises arubberized base.
 11. The levee apparatus of claim 1 wherein the sectionsare reinforced lightweight concrete.
 12. The levee apparatus of claim 2wherein the sections are reinforced lightweight concrete.
 13. The leveeapparatus of claim 3 wherein the sections are reinforced lightweightconcrete.
 14. The levee apparatus of claim 4 wherein the sections arereinforced lightweight concrete.